Having grown sunflowers for many years, I use a support cane system! They’re so easy to use, durable and year after year they haven’t let me down – or my sunflowers. Next wrap twine or plastic coated garden wire tightly around the canes and loosely around the stem of the plant.ĭo not tie the plant in a ‘strangle hold’ against the canes as it will prevent the sunflower from following the sun, this is an important part of the sunflowers growth. Push them into the ground next to each sunflower plant and gently prop the stem against them.

If not and your giant beauties are leaning and bending over, then a helping hand is required. If you’re lucky they will soon gain the strength to hold themselves up. Now your sunflowers are growing fast and tall in their growing sites. Be patient, they will soon get strength from being outside in their new ground and the natural sunlight from above. Make sure they are gently watered and if you need to use wire supports then do so. If your seedlings start to wilt, this is usually known as ‘transplanting shock’. So make sure you plant your sunflower seedlings in as sunny a place as you can. Sunflowers grow fast, and to grow strong they need a lot of sun to do this. Continue until the last of the harsh weather has gone.Place your seedling trays and pots in a sunny, but sheltered place on firm ground for a few hours every day.It takes a bit of dedication and care, but it will ensure better sunflower results. This is done a few weeks before you transplant them into their summer growing site. ‘Hardening off’ means that you gradually introduce your sunflower seedlings to their new outdoor life. Sunflower Seedlings Wilting After Transplanting Gently prop your sunflower seedling against the supports until it is time to harden them off. bend a pipe cleaner or stiff garden wire and make a support. This gives them the feeling that they’re fighting against the wind and they grow stronger.

I also turn my seedlings daily and gently brush my hands over them a few times a day. Make sure the seedling trays, or pots have good drainage so they’re not sitting in soggy soil. If you’re growing seedlings indoors then place them in the most sunny place as you can, A south facing windowsill is ideal. Not just sunflower seedlings, but all seedlings that are grown indoors can get leggy and even fall over as they strain towards the natural sunlight. Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants, so it’s not surprising that they get tall and floppy really fast. So let us see how we can help hold our sunflower heads up high. But, on experience and a little research I have come across a few more factors that I’d like to expand on and share with you. Mature plants have heavy drooping heads and need staking, while cut wilting flowers might need a change of water and a bit more care.īelow are the reasons I’ve found for drooping or wilting sunflowers. Seedlings are usually floppy and will soon get stronger when hardened off. So why are my sunflowers drooping? First of all make sure all developing plants are well drained and have been watered. The freshly cut flowers I have around my home are regularly treated to fresh water and a homemade cocktail of soluble food, to prolong their lives. My mature plants are given good solid stakes to lean on, but are not ‘strangle held’ as to stop heliotropism – which you can find out about here. The seedling are leaning towards the light and are fragile before hardening off, then they get leggy and droop on transplanting and need a little help standing tall. They need constant care with watering and tending.įrom one day to the next I find a new challenge comes along. Throughout the summer season in the garden, I find myself busy as a bee caring for my sunflowers.

Droppy checkout